Madame Clarence as an accomplished hostess thought it was time to return to the subject of love and asked M. Jumel his opinion of M. Leon Blum’s recent book in which the author complained. . . .

“. . .  That an irrational custom,” went on Professor Haddock, “prevents respectable young ladies from making love, a thing they would enjoy doing, whilst mercenary girls do it too much and without getting any enjoyment out of it.  It is indeed deplorable.  But M. Leon Blum need not fret too much.  If the evil exists, as he says it does, in our middle-class society, I can assure him that everywhere else he would see a consoling spectacle.  Among the people, the mass of the people through town and country, girls do not deny themselves that pleasure.”

“It is depravity!” said Madame Cremeur.

And she praised the innocence of young girls in terms full of modesty and grace.  It was charming to hear her.

Professor Haddock’s views on the same subject were, on the contrary, painful to listen to.

“Respectable young girls,” said he, “are guarded and watched over.  Besides, men do not, as a rule, pursue them much, either through probity, or from a fear of grave responsibilities, or because the seduction of a young girl would not be to their credit.  Even then we do not know what really takes place, for the reason that what is hidden is not seen.  This is a condition necessary to the existence of all society.  The scruples of respectable young girls could be more easily overcome than those of married women if the same pressure were brought to bear on them, and for this there are two reasons:  they have more illusions, and their curiosity has not been satisfied.  Women, for the most part, have been so disappointed by their husbands that they have not courage enough to begin again with somebody else.  I myself have been met by this obstacle several times in my attempts at seduction.”

At the moment when Professor Haddock ended his unpleasant remarks, Mademoiselle Eveline Clarence entered the drawing-room and listlessly handed about tea with that expression of boredom which gave an oriental charm to her beauty.

“For my part,” said Hippolyte Ceres, looking at her, “I declare myself the young ladies’ champion.”

“He must be a fool,” thought the girl.

Hippolyte Ceres, who had never set foot outside of his political world of electors and elected, thought Madame Clarence’s drawing-room most select, its mistress exquisite, and her daughter amazingly beautiful.  His visits became frequent and he paid court to both of them.  Madame Clarence, who now liked attention, thought him agreeable.  Eveline showed no friendliness towards him, and treated him with a hauteur and disdain that he took for aristocratic behaviour and fashionable manners, and he thought all the more of her on that account.  This busy man taxed his ingenuity to please them, and he sometimes succeeded.  He got them cards for fashionable functions and boxes at the Opera.  He furnished Mademoiselle Clarence with several opportunities of appearing to great advantage and in particular at a garden party which, although given by a Minister, was regarded as really fashionable, and gained its first success in society circles for the Republic.